Entrepreneurs may find it interesting that the landline phone system and a mobile phone subscription aren’t the only telephone systems available in the market. You can actually acquire a phone subscription that does not require actual phones.
VoIP phone systems are slowly becoming a trend with startups and SMEs for a lot of reasons. These new businesses are all about being exciting, edgy and updated, and what better way than to integrate their phone functions with their computers? All they need is sound IT infrastructure that doesn’t even need to be expansive. A good computer with a stable internet connection is all you need. Just make sure that your PC has a sound card, a mic and a headset so you can hear and talk to the person you’re calling.
Advantages of VoIP
When you’ve acquired a business phone from a VoIP service provider, you may enjoy the following benefits:
- Lower phone costs each month.
You only have to pay for the actual phone services you use. You don’t have to add any fees for using equipment or a proprietary telephone network. The phone service providers can’t charge you for anything else than actual calls, messages, faxes and other phone functions you use. You can have a business phone for only $20 a month. Look into services like hosted VoIP by Megapath or other companies as these connections are very reliable and can will ensure quality calling. - Flexibility of use
Since you aren’t using actual phones but software phones where you log into your specific account, you aren’t tied to one PC for your phone. You can actually use your business telephone from your home computer or laptop, or even your smartphone. All you have to do is make sure you have the same phone software and then log into your account. - More phone functions for less cost.
When you acquire your internet telephony system, you get a full suite of features. You get voice mail, caller ID, call waiting, call barring, call filtering and a lot of other functions that are usually paid for separately when you use a landline phone.
Disadvantages of VoIP
Keep in mind, though that since the technology is still developing, there are some drawbacks:
- Security issues
Any system that operates through computers and the internet is vulnerable to attacks. Your calls can be tapped or tampered with. Make sure you talk to your service provider about security measures for your data and calls. - Dependencies
What internet telephony lacks is stability. If just one part of the system fails, such as the internet, electricity or some part of the computer you’re using, you can’t use the whole system. You need to have your PC on all the time if you want to receive calls at all hours. Whenever there’s an emergency that cuts power or other services, you won’t have a phone.
About the author: Henry Conrad is a 29-year-old game developer from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Aside from gaming and being a tech junkie, he also dabbles in creative writing, which allows him to create great storylines and backgrounds for his characters. Follow me on Twitter and join me in Google +